Ambitious and Paris-aligned climate and energy policy in Japan continues to be held back by powerful business groups representing heavy industry, particularly the Japan Iron and Steel Federation (JISF), the Federation of Electric Power Companies (FEPC) and the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association (JAMA). These groups, along with the Japan Business Federation, Keidanren dominate Japan's climate agenda and through their staunch opposition to policies like carbon taxation and continued support of thermal fossil power appear disconnected from their own statements supporting the government's 2050 net zero target.
This report updates a report from InfluenceMap released in 2020, Japanese Industry Groups and Climate Policy and also launches the Corporate Climate Policy Engagement – the Japan Platform, a continuously updated tool designed to facilitate positive climate policy engagement for Japan.